Condenser-tube extractor



Dec. so, 1924.

J. MCPHERSON CONDENSER TUBE EXTRACTOR Filed Feb, 23, 1924 Patented Dec. 30, 1924.

UNITED STATES JAMES MGPHERSON, OF NEVI YORK, N. Y.

CONDENSE -TUBE EXTRACTOR.

Application filed February 23, 1324. Serial No. 694,660.

T0 all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, Jamas MoPrmnsoN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of New York city, in the county of Bronx and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Condenser-Tube Extractors, of which the following is a specification.

.ln condensers for steam and other fluids the tubes are frequently secured at their ends to the headers or tube sheets by means of packing retained by glands or the like. When it is desired to remove and replace tubes it has been a laborious and somewhat costly operation due to the confinement of the tube ends in the compressed packing, as well as to the difficulty in pushing the tubes to present their ends in position to be grasped for pullingI them.

The object of my invention is to provide an extractor which will be adapted to enter the tubes and be securely attached thereto, in a simple way, so that by pulling upon the extractor the tubes may be readily pulled out from the condenser headers or tube sheets.

My invention comprises novel details of improvement that will be more fully hereinafter set forth and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein- Fig. 1 is a side view of my improved extractor shown in position in a tube;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the extractor, showing the parts in position to be entered into or removed from a tube;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating the parts in a position assumed for extracting the tube;

Fig. 4 is a cross section on line fl, 4., in Fig. 2, and

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the movable dogs of the extractor.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

At 1 is indicated the main body or member of my improved extractor, shown in circular form adapted to enter a tube 2. The body 1 is provided with a longitudinal bore 3 shown threaded at 4 near its outer end adapted to receive threads 5 upon a stem or rod 6 that has a circular inner portion and is fitted to rotate within bore 3. The body 1 is provided with one or more transversely disposed openings '7 communicating with bore 3 and leading through the outer surface of the body. t 8 are dogs pivot-ally supported within the openings 7 to be tilted therein so that one of the ends of each dog may project beyond the surface of body 1 to engage the inner surface of tube 2. The dogs 8 are shown pivotally supported on pivot pins 9 located in holes 'l0 in body 1. En the arrangement illustrated in Fig. Ll two of the pivot pins 9 are located. entirely within the material of body 1 and the two other pins 9 oppose the first named pins and have their ends curved to correspond to the curvature of the outer surface of body l, so that said pins will not interfere with tube 2 when the extractor is inserted therein. The dogs 8 have transverse. holes 8 forming bearings for rotating on the pivot pins 9, whereby the dogs are retained in the openings T. Said dogs are provided each with inwardly extending projections 8b adapted to enter an annular recess 6?L in stem 6. The material at the sides of the annular groove. 6l pro-vides abutments or shoulders 6 against which the corresponding sides of the projections 8b of the dogs 8 may bear. The outer corners 8C of dogs 8 are prominent to engage the inner surface of tube 2 when the dogs are tilted outwardly, said outer corners being provided by means of transverse depressions 81 formed in the outer surfaces of the dogs and inclined toward the corners 8. The inner corners or edges of the dogs at 8e, diagonally opposite the outer corners 8C, are inclined or beveled outwardly to provide normal spaces between the dogs and the stem to permit the dogs to tilt in the openings 7. The surfaces Se are adapted to en gage the adjacent portion of stem 6 when the dogs are in tube-engaging position, (Fig. 3), whereby to limit the tilting of the dogs and prevent the coz-ners or edges 8"' thereof from protruding too far from the outer surface of body 1 so as not to injure tube The stem 6 is shown provided with a suitable handle or eye 6 whereby the stem may be rotated for rocking or tilting the dogs 8, and may be used for pulling the extractor.

CII

-slide out of tube 2a.

l/Vhen the extractor is to be inserted in a tube the stem 6 Vis rotated, (as to the right in Fig. 4), to cause the stem to advance longitudinally in the body l, whereby the abutment ,orl shoulder 6 Will engage the projections 8b of the dogs to tilt the latter so that their outer surfaces will be substantially flush With the correspondiug'outer surface ot body l, as illustrated in Fig. 2. lVith theV dogs in such position the body l ot' the extractor Will be inserted `within tube 2. By nou' retaining body l Vtrom rotating` and rota-ting stem li revcrsely, as to the left in Fig. 4), stem 6 by means of threads 4l and 5 will be caused to move lon gitudinally otil\=.'aidly and thereupon the shoulder 6b of said stem, by engaging' the projections Sb, will cause the dogs 8 to tilt sothat their outer corners A8. Vivillv be projected beyond the outer surface of. body.

l to engage the inner suriace ot tube 2, as illustrated in Figs. l and *at such time the under surfaces ot the dogs ca bear against stem o so that the dogs Will not pierce the tube. iVith the part-s in suchv position the extractor u'ill be securely attached within the tube 2. and by pulling' upon stem G the tube will. be pulled out oi" the headers or tube sheets.

In order to keep body l. troni rotatingl When stem G is rotated to set the dogs against tube 2 said body may be held by any suitable means. As a convenient ineens to prevent body l from rotating' Within tube 2 I have shown said body provided with a finger 1]. projecting laterally trom and si'ibstantially parallel with body l., Which finger may be secured to said body by screuv l2 or in any other desired Way. Said linger il will enter a tube 2fL adjacent to tube 2 which ivill act as an abutment to keep body 1 from rotating. When tube 2 is pulled by the extractor the finger ll will To release the extractor from tube 2 it 4is merely necessary tov rotate stem 6 to the position shown in Fig. 2 to release the dogs 8 troni the tube;

My improved extractor is simple in construction, eliicient in use and not liable toV get out of order. My extractor Yenables tubes to be pulled out o1" headers or tube sheets Without requiringl the-tubes to be pushed or the packing to be released around the tubes, thereby expediting and savino' cost of. extracting tubes 'from headers and' the like over the present practice as known.'

to me.

While I have shown a plurality ot dogs 8' it Will be understood that one or more dogs may be used, and that changes may be made in the details set forth Without departing from the spirit of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

zing; the 4dog according to mgV an opening *communicating with the.

bore, a stein operative in said bore, adog Y pivotally supported in the opening and pros` vided with a projection, said stem having` abutments to cooperate with said projection.

to tilt the dog' in the opening, said body and stem having cooperative means to cause longitudinal movement of the stem in opposits directions.

2. i'tube extractor as set fort-h in claim l, in which an 'inner corner ci? the dog is reduced providingspace between saidcorner and the stem to permit the doe' to tilt and engage the stem tolimit the tilting ot the dog. f .Y Y Y 3. A'tube extractor set forth in claim l, in which. the dog has a depression in its outer surface providing a projecting corner adapted to engage a tube. Y

Llf. A tube extractor comprising a cylindrical body having' a longitudinal bore provided with threads, said body having a lateral opening' connuunicatiug with said bore, a dop; pivoted in said opening and provided opposite sides, the projection ot said'dog beingl fitted Within said groove in position tobe engaged by said abutments for tiltthe longitudinal movement of the stein. i Y

5. A tube extractor as set forth in claim 4, in Which an inner corner ot the den" is normally spaced from the stern and adapted to engage the same to limit the projection, of a Vdiagonally opposite corner of the dog from the body.

6. A tube extractor ,Comprising a cylindrical body vprovided with. a longitudinal bore, a portionV of saidhore 'being' provided with threads, a stem having' a cylindrical portion fitted Within ,the bore and another portion proyided with threads meshing' ul'ith the Erst named threads. said stein liavinp an annular groove, aid body having a latl eral opening communicatinfgl with its boro. a dog` pivote'd in said openingV adapted to protrude at one corner from the body. said i .ii-runs Merrie-ssen. 

